


Part of the Job

by yarnandtea



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-19
Updated: 2014-08-19
Packaged: 2018-02-13 17:56:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2159811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yarnandtea/pseuds/yarnandtea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In an alternate universe, James Vega never became a soldier. Instead he ran off to Omega and began a career as Jimmy Vega, stripper. He loves his job, and he's good at it. Good enough to eventually leave Omega and get a job in a high-end Citadel strip club. </p><p>He knows that if he's done his job right, he's going to be featuring in the dreams and fantasies of some of his customers after they leave the club. Hell, he'd be lying if he said none of them ever made enough of an impression on him to follow him home in his thoughts. </p><p>He's got a good life, good friends, and even if he gets a little lonely sometimes, he wouldn't change it for anything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Flirtation

“I cannot believe I let you bring me here!” 

Ashley tried to make herself as small as possible while Tali dragged her to the bar, hoping  nobody she might know would recognize her if they happened to be in the strip club. After all the crap she had given LT about checking out those asari dancers in Chora’s Den, she would never hear the end of it if he found out about this. She glanced around and then shot her friend a side-eyed look.

 “For that matter, I can’t believe _you_ come here at all! Most of the, uh,” she searched for a politic word and landed on one, “dancers look like they’re human. I didn’t think you were into that.”

“Keelah! Would you stop complaining, Ash?” Ashley suspected that if it weren’t for the mask hiding Tali’s face, she would see the quarian rolling her eyes. “Even some human men are nice to look at. Trust me. You’re going to _love_ this.”

Ashley opened her mouth, intending to express her doubt, but just then the announcer introduced the next dancer--”Jimmy Vega, folks, you know you’ve all been waiting for this one! Get those credit chits out!”--and her breath caught in her throat.

“Oh. My. God.” The words came out in a reverent whisper, and she couldn’t have stopped them if she tried. Eyes transfixed on the stage, she completely failed to notice when the bartender set a bottle of beer next to her elbow.

Behind her, Tali chuckled and reached out to snag the beer, elbowing Ashley’s side. “Told you,” she said, as smug as Ashley had ever heard her. “Come on, we can get a better view over here.”

She hooked an arm through Ashley’s and pulled her over to a small table off to the right of the stage. Ashley was only dimly aware of sliding down into the seat that Tali prodded her towards. She couldn’t take her eyes off of the man on the stage.

She’d been ready to scoff at the first sight of him, a quip springing to her lips about not needing to see him take his clothes off, as tight as that t-shirt was. But then the music started, Jimmy Vega began to move, and Ashley was a goner. It felt like her heart had synced up with the drum beat of the song, something slow and steady and sensual, with a heavy bass line that sang through her nerves. It made her want to dance too, not to mention do other things.

He moved in time with the music in a way that had her biting back a groan. She drank half her beer without even looking, flushed with heat from the sight before her. She pulled her hair over one shoulder to get it off her neck, cursing herself for wearing it down, and fanned her face, but it did little good. The heat was centered somewhere much more difficult to alleviate in public.

She might just have to kill Tali for this.

Either that or send her some  _really_ good dextro-chocolate tomorrow.

The shirt went first, and Ashley took back all of her earlier critical thoughts. Hot damn, but he was ripped. As he moved across the stage, her eyes traced the lines of ink that decorated his body, and she licked her lips. The pants followed a minute later, and she and Tali let out happy sighs at the same time, admiring the roll of his hips and the way the muscles in his thighs flexed.

Her eyes widened when his fingers slid under the waistband of his black briefs. She darted a questioning glance at Tali before staring back at the stage. Surely he wouldn’t go full monty? She didn’t think this part of the Citadel  _allowed_ clubs that offered complete nudity. Her breath caught in her throat as he started pushing the briefs down one tantalizing inch at a time.

“Holy shit,” she whispered, reverent once more.

She couldn’t even begin to imagine what kind of enjoyment Tali might get out of the full expanse of Jimmy Vega, but Ashley would be damned if  _she_ didn’t find it quite a wonderful sight indeed. Her fingers twitched on the table, the desire to touch and explore almost overwhelming. She doubted she was the only one in the club struggling to stay in their seat as he finished up and gave a flourishing little bow before turning to stride back behind the curtain. His retreat allowed them all a fine view of his ass as he went.  _Hot_ damn _, what an ass!_

As soon as he disappeared, Ashley felt like a spell had been lifted. She could breathe easily again, and she gave herself a little shake. She blushed, chastising herself for the foolishness, and reached for her beer, only to find it empty. “Damn!” she swore in surprise.

“I’ll get us another round,” Tali suggested, her voice radiating satisfaction. “He’s got another song in about an hour, and until then, he’ll be mingling with the crowd.”

Ashley gave her a stiff nod, eyes drifting to the back of the club where, sure enough, he had already emerged, clad in his briefs but nothing else. “Get two,” Ashley called after Tali, her voice cracking on the second word.

Tali didn’t look back, but Ashley heard her laugh anyway.

A distant part of her brain let out a large sigh of relief that she’d only brought a small amount of money along, because she knew  _all_ of it was going to him. As he moved among the other patrons, she could see them pressing credit chits on him. She spared an idle thought to wonder where he was keeping them all, but soon dismissed the thought in favor of fishing out her own money.

Couldn’t hurt to have it ready, right?

It barely registered when Tali slid back into the seat beside her again, setting two beers on the table. Ash reached out to pick one up, eyes following Vega through the room. She and Tali had never really discussed what they found attractive in the opposite sex, and she had no idea how the other woman had known she would find Vega so appealing. Hell, if she had just seen him on the street or anywhere else, Ashley wasn’t sure she  _would_ have been so interested. But something about the atmosphere in the club--the music, the lighting, and if she was being honest, the lack of clothing--combined to make Vega positively riveting.

“ _Buenas noches, chicas_ ,” he greeted them when he reached their table. “Are we enjoying ourselves?” He leaned back against the stage and gave them both a warm smile.

Ashley almost came back to herself when Tali tittered in response. Tittered! Tali! She was surprised enough to look away from Vega, sparing her friend a shocked glance.

“Ooh, yes,” Tali replied, leaning forward over the table, her eyes glowing in the dim lighting, “as always.” She offered Vega her hand and he took it, placing a chaste kiss on the back of it, and giving it a gentle squeeze before letting go.

“ _Gracias_ ,” he murmured, giving her another smile, and Ashley saw the glint of light on a credit chit before it disappeared in his palm.

“Um, yeah,” she chimed in. Vega turned to face her and she tried not to notice that this put her eyes directly on a level with his crotch. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and forced herself to meet his eyes. “Those were some nice moves up there.” She nodded at the stage.

Vega’s smile widened a bit, and he winked at her. Ashley felt the heat of a blush coloring her face and she shifted in her seat, giving him a sort of half-wave with the hand that held the tip she meant to give him. Damn, why did this feel so awkward? Tali had been so smooth about it, making it look easy. Vega seemed to sense that she was new at this, though, and as her hand passed by, he reached out and caught it, lacing his fingers through hers. As with Tali, he pressed a light kiss to the back of her hand. She tried to ignore the thrills this sent through her, having just enough presence of mind to push at the chit with her thumb, relaxing as his thumb brushed against hers and she realized he’d taken it. He held on for a moment longer, keeping eye contact, before releasing her.

“ _Gracias, bella_ ,” he said, voice a low rumble. He winked again. “I hope you can stick around for my next dance.”

“Yeah, uh,” she cleared her throat. “I’ll do that.”

Then he was gone, and she was sliding down in her seat, face flaming. Beside her, Tali was giggling madly. She stopped when Ashley kicked her ankle, but then started again when Ashley glared at her. “Told you!” Tali repeated in a sing-song voice.

“Yeah, okay. You were right. He is  _very_ nice to look at.” She fanned her face again and took a long drink of her beer. Maybe she could kill Tali  _and_ send her chocolate?

After that, Ashley found it easier to relax, though. She felt like she had run some sort of PT test, but just like after a good training run, she felt exhilarated too. She and Tali settled in to watch the other dancers, mostly human, but a few turians and even a salarian or two. They were all pretty good, but nowhere near Vega’s league. She had to admit she was enjoying herself. Not to mention getting a very interesting lesson in alien anatomy.

When Vega came back out, Ashley straightened in her chair, leaning forward in anticipation. He did not disappoint. The song was longer this time, but it had a faster tempo, and once more Ashley could feel her heart beating in time with it. She knew she was probably imagining it, but she felt like Vega was looking at her more than once while he performed. She honestly couldn’t recall the last time she’d felt so turned on.

After he left the stage, she was sad to see that he didn’t reappear to mingle, but she and Tali stayed to watch a few more dancers. One of those turians had been pretty damn graceful in his own right, and she knew Tali had really enjoyed his first dance. When the dancer before him was announced, she leaned toward Tali, saying, “One more round, and then we’ll head back to the hotel?”

Tali nodded in agreement and Ashley slid out of her seat, squeezing her friend’s shoulder as she headed to the bar. Shore leave was over tomorrow, after all, and it wouldn't do to stay out too late. She hadn’t expected to have so much fun when Tali had suggested this club, but she was glad she had come along. Living wild every once in a while was a good thing, she thought.

The bar was busy, so she leaned against it at one end, waiting for the bartender to notice her so she could order their drinks. The asari had finally come by and gone to retrieve them, so she was waiting, lost in thought, when a throaty voice spoke up beside her.

“Hey, _bella_. Still having a good time, I hope?”

She didn’t jump, but it was a near thing, and she could already feel the blush forming as she turned to find Vega leaning back against the bar, smile on his face. “Yeah,” she managed, trying to return his smile. “This place is something else.”

“First time here, huh?” He tilted his head, and she was surprised to realize he actually seemed curious. He was dressed again, in another t-shirt (not so tight as the one he’d worn up on stage, but still very form-fitting) and jeans. She realized he must be off the clock and headed out.

Which meant he’d seen her at the bar and stopped to talk to her specifically? She swallowed and tried to push away the thought. “That obvious, huh?”

He gave a little shrug. “New customers are pretty easy to spot.” Another shrug and an amused smile. “It’s nice though. Keeps the nights interesting.”

“And it’s good for business, too, I’m sure,” Ashley managed, not bothering to hide the roll of her eyes.

Vega laughed, a long honest laugh, and gave her a boyish grin. “Well yeah, that too. Anyway, I should go. Just wanted to make sure you were still enjoying yourself.” He offered his hand this time, holding it to shake.

“Oh, I am,” she said, reaching out to take his hand. She gave it a firm shake and leaned forward, unable to resist teasing him a little. “And I think it’s safe to say you’ve secured my repeat business.” She let go of his hand and turned to retrieve her drinks from the newly returned bartender. Turning back, this time she was the one to wink at him, biting back a laugh at the look of surprise on his face. “Thanks for making the night so interesting, Vega,” she called back over her shoulder as she left for her seat. “See ya next time!”

After the first few steps, she heard an amused chuckle from behind her and thought she caught a murmured, “ _Dios!_ ” She grinned and made herself count to ten before glancing back, and when she did, he was already gone.

~~~~~~

The club was empty, as far as Ashley could tell, and dark. She wondered if maybe she had shown up before opening. Except, no, it wasn’t empty. She turned in a circle, just looking around, and when she came to a stop, Vega was in front of her, leaning against the bar. The lights were still dim, but she could see him clear enough.

“Hey, _bella_ ,” he greeted her, voice smooth and sexier than it had any right to be. “You come back for a private show?”

He wasn’t wearing anything but those black briefs, and Ashley couldn’t stop herself from taking a step forward. “Maybe I did,” she quipped, not bothering to hide the way her eyes traveled up and and down his body.

He smirked and cocked his head, arching an eyebrow. “Well, what are you waiting for, then?”

_Not a damn thing_ , she thought to herself, and suddenly the distance between them had disappeared. She reached a hand up behind his neck and pulled his face down to hers, their lips lining up for a kiss that sent heat racing straight to her core. Through the scant layers of clothing between them, she could feel him harden against her.

Vega made a satisfied little humming sound and pulled her close as he deepened the kiss, hands sliding down to her ass. Then, without warning, he lifted her up and turned her around, setting her onto the bar. In the blink of an eye, her clothes seemed to melt away and he knelt down between her legs.

He pushed her thighs apart, making room for his broad shoulders as he leaned forward, tongue darting out to lick a wide stripe through her folds. Ashley cried out and leaned back, hooking her knees over his shoulders and drawing him closer, knuckles going white as she gripped the edge of the bar. Vega worked his tongue inside of her, thrusting and twisting and pulling back to lap at her clit. Her orgasm crashed through her like a charging krogan and she screamed out, hips arching up, ass lifting off the bar. Vega laughed, satisfied with his work, and the vibration of the sound had her shivering.

She moved one leg, drawing it in so she could plant a foot on his chest, giving him a gentle push back so that she could slide off the bar. Her legs only wobbled a little, and she shot Vega a predatory grin as he continued moving backward, stopping only when he reached a chair and dropped down into it. She stalked forward and helped him rid himself of those briefs that did nothing to preserve his modesty. Then she climbed into his lap, straddling him and sinking down onto his cock.

Vega let out a low moan and started to thrust up. Ashley stopped him with a firm grip on his shoulders. “No,” she told him, voice firm. “You hold still,” she commanded. “It’s my turn.” She leaned back enough to catch his eyes and he nodded once, grinning at her.

“ _Dios_ !” he whispered, then, “ _Si, bella_ . Whatever you say.”

“Damn right, whatever I say,” Ashley agreed as she began to move.

Vega groaned and moaned, and his hands slid up to her waist, holding on tightly. But he didn’t move. Ashley had a devil of a time keeping her own sounds of pleasure in check, so she leaned down and bit at the junction of his neck and shoulder. Not hard enough to break the skin, just enough so that he could feel it. Judging from the shout he gave, she thought he liked it.

He was filling her in all the right ways, and letting her move exactly as she liked. It was enough to bring her to orgasm again, and by the time he was coming, so was she. She licked a trail up his neck and across his jaw as their movements subsided, catching his lips for another kiss. She leaned back, trying to come up with something clever to say, and he grinned at her, waiting. Ashley opened her mouth--

\--and woke with a start, her heart pounding and her body flushed with heat. There was an insistent throbbing between her legs, and she let out a small growl of frustration. Trying to hold on to the last remnants of the dream, she worked a hand under the covers. Hand sliding into her panties, she ran her fingers through the slick between her legs, pushing inside of herself, twisting and thrusting, making sure to catch her clit on each pass. She brought herself off with the quick efficiency borne of the years of little to no privacy that were part and parcel of a soldier’s life.

After, she lay in bed for a few moments, trying to catch her breath and listening to the beating of her heart. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a dream that steamy. Certainly it had been ages since she’d woken up so horny it had required immediate attention. She grinned to herself. That Vega really was good at his job. She’d have to go back to the club again for sure.

Not any time soon though, unfortunately. With a sigh, she rolled over and checked the clock on her omni-tool. Damn. She needed to get up in twenty minutes if she was going to report back to active duty on time. Well, no use in trying to get back to sleep. She climbed out of bed and padded to the shower, humming to herself, enjoying the still present, but now dulled, throbbing between her legs.

She could think of worse ways to start a day, at least.


	2. Slow Night

A biotiball tournament, the galactic premiere of the new Blasto vid, grand opening of a swanky new restaurant and dance club on the Presidium, _and_ closing night of the latest elcor adaptation of Shakespeare all falling on one night meant only one thing.

The club was  _dead_ .

James sighed and peeked around the curtain, hoping to see at least one new face since his last dance. No luck. He didn’t think more than a dozen people had come in since the place had opened tonight. He withdrew, letting the curtain fall shut. He’d be lucky to pull in even a quarter of his usual tips.

_Well, doesn’t mean I shouldn’t put my best effort in._ Just because the three people in the club either had no interest in, or had been unable to get into, any of the Citadel’s other offerings, it didn’t mean they didn’t deserve some entertainment, too. He swung his arms back and forth, stretching a little, and jumped in place, trying to immerse himself into the headspace of Jimmy Vega, stripper extraordinaire. A few moments later, the announcer introduced him and the familiar notes of his next song began to play. He slapped a cocky grin on his face and brushed past the curtains, ready to go to work.

He was greeted with the pleasant surprise of a new face at the bar--well, a new customer at least, she had her hood pulled up so far he couldn’t see her face at all. She was perched on a stool and leaning forward, head tilted in curiosity. Though he could see little more than the gleam of her eyes in the shadow of her hood, he felt the intensity of her gaze all the way from the stage.

He ramped up his efforts an extra notch, making sure she got a nice view as he removed each piece of clothing, adding a little extra shake of his ass for effect. From the corner his eye, he thought he caught her nodding in approval. The song ended, and he made a bow to the club, earning a smattering of applause. As he turned to head back through the curtain, he shot winks at the two regulars, earning a rather adorable series of giggles from one and a low, amused laugh from the other.

He was feeling in much better spirits as he slipped on his briefs and shoved his stage clothes into his backpack. He reached for his jeans and then hesitated. That had been his last dance of the night, and normally he wouldn’t do another round of the club afterwards. This late in the evening, most of the customers had been there for a while, and he didn’t like to abuse their generosity. But the woman at the bar had only just arrived.

He left his jeans where they were and turned on his heel out of the dressing room, heading for the hall that would let him into the club proper, nodding at the asari bouncer in passing. He tried telling himself that it was silly not to try for that last tip, but he couldn’t really deny it was curiosity more than anything that had driven him back out to the floor.

Maybe it was the hood? Her outfit reminded him of quarian enviro-suits, though the lack of a mask and the bend of her legs had him convinced she was human. Could be asari, he supposed, but the glimpses of her face he’d managed seemed to belie that. So, a mysterious hooded figure shows up at the club on a dead night? Hell yeah, he was curious. Plus, she might be all covered up in that suit, but it fit well enough to show off some pretty nice curves.

He’d always been a sucker for the curves.

She was still there, sitting on her stool with one elbow on the bar, watching Liara fix drinks for one of the other customers. At least, that’s the way her head was turned. Her feet were propped up on the stool next to her, ankles crossed, and she looked much more relaxed than the average first-time club patron. As far as James’ experience went, anyway. Looked right at home, in fact.

She was intriguing, but unsettling as well. Something about her was drawing him in and throwing him for a loop. He found himself unsure how to approach her, which was unsettling in its own right. For the first time in, well, ever, he found himself wishing this place was more like his first job in that dinky little club on Omega. There, private dances had been allowed, even encouraged. It wasn’t that he missed getting pawed at by horny patrons. He really, really didn’t. But hey, making the offer would have been a conversation starter, right?

All right, maybe not.

To buy himself a little time, he visited with his remaining regular first (the man had slipped away after James' song ended, as he always did). His normal composure returned to him with ease as he slipped back into the flirtatious mode that served him so well here. Feeling confident once more, he turned for the bar, glancing over at the club's other customer on his way. She was engrossed in conversation with Palnus, leaning in toward the turian with clear interest. James grinned to himself as she pushed a credit chit tentatively across the table. Palnus accepted the tip with grace, leaning in to murmur his thanks.

James had settled on his opening line by the time he reached the bar, but he never got to say it. As if she sensed his approach, the woman turned around to face him. She swung her legs off of the second stool, tucking one underneath herself and glancing up at him with a sly grin. “Not bad, Muscles,” she quipped. Her voice was light, and full of amusement. “I can see why you come so highly recommended. My friend wasn’t exaggerating at all.”

“I, uh, thanks.” James murmured, annoyed to realize that he was blushing. What the hell? That was hardly the worst thing anyone had ever said to him here. “Glad you enjoyed it,” he managed. He tried to recover his balance, wishing he could see her eyes. Might give him something to look at besides her mouth, at least, with that fascinating stripe of purple down the middle of her bottom lip, continuing down to her chin. Lipstick? A tattoo? He really shouldn’t be wondering what it tasted like, that was for sure.

She laughed and shrugged. “I was in the neighborhood on business, thought I’d stop in and see what the fuss was about.” Her smile widened and she hopped down from the stool, taking a step toward him. If he breathed deeply enough, they would be touching. He thought he caught a whiff of something sweet. Her perfume, maybe? Smelled like roses. He stared down at her, trying to come up with a witty reply, but she just laughed and took a step back. “I’ll have to let her know I was  _not_ disappointed. See you around, Muscles.”

“Um, yeah, sure.” He gave himself a little shake, then called out a belated, “Thanks!” He thought he heard another laugh, but she was nowhere in sight. He could have sworn that was impossible, given how empty the place was.

_What the hell?_ he thought again, glancing up to meet Liara’s eyes. “Tonight has been really weird,” he told her.

“Slow nights always are,” she agreed.

“Right, well. That’s my shift,” he said, coming back to himself. He jerked his thumb toward the dressing rooms. “I’m gonna head home. Want me to come back to pick you up?”

“No need,” she said with a smile and a shake of her head. “Palnus is here until closing, he’ll give me a ride. I’ll see you back at the apartment later.”

James nodded and waved goodbye. As much as he loved having Liara for a roommate, he was kind of looking forward to a few hours of having the place to himself. He was already smiling by the time he reached his dressing room. He slid into his jeans and slipped on a shirt, then dropped onto his bench to get his shoes and socks on. That was when his eyes fell on the rose.

It was laying on the table on top of a folded scrap of paper. That alone was enough to make his eyebrows shoot up. Who used paper anymore? He moved the flower out of the way and picked up the paper, only just catching the credit chit that fell out. Scrawled in an elegant hand across the paper was, “Thanks for the show, Muscles. Keep up the good work.”

That was it. No signature. Just the credit chit and the rose. On a whim, he held the note up to his nose, and wasn’t surprised to find the faintest scent of roses lingering on the paper. He tucked it into his backpack, along with the rose, and pocketed the credit chit. The whole way home, he couldn’t shake the image of that perfect, sly smile.

~~~~~~

The smell of roses seemed to haunt him for the rest of the night. He couldn’t get her out of his mind. He knew he was being stupid, but she had somehow managed to press all of his buttons. He couldn’t even say  _why_ . It wasn’t like he was into that cat and mouse shit. But something about her lingered. He kept hearing her laugh, replaying their brief conversation, imagining different ways it could have gone. It would be lying to say he didn’t have the occasional daydream about a customer. It kind of came with the job, and he always figured that as long as he kept such liaisons in his head, there was no harm done. But this was different, somehow.  _She_ was different. She’d said she was there just to see him, and he couldn’t deny the thrill that idea sent through him.

He managed to fix himself a simple dinner, and clean up the dishes after eating, but that pretty much tapped out his focus. She was under his skin, an itch he couldn’t ignore. He tried watching some vids, working out, cleaning the apartment, taking a long shower, but none of it distracted him. He was tense, keyed up, and he knew there was only one way to find relief.

Giving in, he toweled himself off and closed his door. Liara wasn’t due home for at least another hour, but better safe than sorry. He dropped the towel next to his bed and pulled back the blankets before climbing in, not bothering with clothes. He pulled a small tube of lubricant from the drawer of his bedside table, pouring some in his hands before putting it back and pressing a button on the table to turn off the lights in the room. Then he settled back against his pillows, hand dropping to his throbbing cock as his eyes drifted shut.

A low groan escaped his lips as he began stroking himself, keeping his movements slow and steady, the pressure light. Might as well draw it out a little, enjoy himself. He let his eyes drop closed, picturing the subject of his preoccupation. In his mind’s eye, she was there with him, perched on the end of his bed, feet drawn up and arms wrapped around her knees as she watched him. He imagined the faint smell of roses.

“Look at you, Muscles,” she quipped, a satisfied smirk lifting those tantalizing lips. “Such a pretty sight.” She uncurled, leaning forward and then crawling up the bed to lean over him, face still shadowed by her hood.

James reached up his free hand to push the hood back. Soft, dark hair spilled out, matching dark eyes that sparkled with mischief. He ran his fingers through it as he stroked himself, trying to keep to the lazy pace he had started out with. Cupping the back of her neck, he pulled her closer, bringing her lips down to his for a playful kiss that quickly deepened into something more.

She chuckled and her hand replaced his, her grip lighter, her strokes smoother, quicker. James arched up into her touch, letting out a low groan, and she laughed again, pushing him back down. He nipped at her bottom lip, at that tantalizing purple stripe, and her grip on him tightened. Her hand sped up and with a quick twist of her wrist he was coming, a choked-off cry escaping his lips before he fell back against the bed. She kissed him again, then pulled back, uttering another low laugh, really more of a purr, as she disappeared from the edge of his vision.

He opened his eyes to the empty room, letting out a contented sigh. The tension had drained away at last, and he felt heavy, spent. He fumbled at the nightstand until he felt the box of tissues. Grabbing one, he cleaned himself up, then tossed the wadded up thing into the trashcan in the corner without looking. He had enough presence of mind to pull up the sheet, in case Liara checked in on him when she got home, and rolled over, snuggling down into the bed. He could swear he smelled roses.

_Dios_ , he thought to himself as he drifted off.  _I hope she doesn’t come back anytime soon_ . He was too tired to be embarrassed now. But the next time he saw her, if there was a next time, he suspected it would be a different story. It wasn’t often he let customers get to him like that.  _Still_ , a final thought surfaced before he was out for the count,  _sure made the slow night more interesting._

With that, he was fast asleep, a satisfied smile upon his face.

~~~~~~

By the next morning he had almost forgotten about the whole incident, save for the single rose he had placed in a glass of water on his nightstand. He smiled as his eyes fell on it before he left the room. Finding Liara in the kitchen, he pulled up a stool and leaned on the counter, running his hands through his hair as he watched her fix a cup of tea.

“Did you hear about the break-in?” she asked him by way of greeting.

He frowned, wondering if it had been in their building. “What break-in?”

“At that art gallery around the corner from the club.” Liara shook her head, a small frown of regret pursing her lips. “They were hosting an exhibit of old Earth paintings, and one was stolen last night. C-Sec came in not long after you left, canvassing the neighborhood for witnesses.”

“Huh,” James replied, shrugging. “I guess someone figured they’d take advantage of all of the big events going on.”

“I suppose,” Liara said, leaning against the counter, her cup of tea halfway to her mouth. “C-Sec seemed fairly baffled by the whole thing. No glitch in the surveillance as far as they can tell, but not one shot of the thief. One moment the painting was there, then the next it was gone from it’s frame, and a rose left in its place.”

James’ eyebrows shot up. “A rose?”

“Yes,” Liara nodded in agreement with his surprise. “Very strange indeed. Oh well,” she sighed and took a sip of her tea. “I suppose they’ll catch the thief eventually.”

_I wouldn’t count on it_ , James thought, remembering how his mystery client of the night before had vanished so effortlessly. Business in the neighborhood indeed.  _Well, I guess now I know she’s probably not coming back around any time soon._ He couldn’t fight the surge of disappointment at that thought.


	3. The Value of a Friend

James didn’t get many nights off. His shifts were short enough that he didn’t really mind working every night. The hours worked out well enough that he could still get whatever he needed done during the day without sacrificing sleep or anything. But every once in a while it was nice to take a vacation day, to just revel in the enjoyment of not having to go to work.

Liara, who worked much longer shifts, had a more regular “weekend” with two full nights off a week. It was rare, though, that James’ nights off coincided with hers. So when that happened, they tried to make the most of it. They’d go out to dinner or catch a vid or play or even check out a museum. That was usually at Liara’s prompting, but James found he rather enjoyed going to museums with her. She seemed to know so much about everything, and often what she knew was  _much_ more interesting than the boring little information plaques on the wall. Perks of having the long life of an asari, he supposed. He was pretty sure bartender in a strip club wasn’t her first career. Sometimes he found himself wondering what she was doing there at all, though he was grateful for her presence in his life.

Work the last week had been chaotic. Good for his bank account, and his spirits, but still exhausting. As he woke on his first day off in over two months, which was also one of Liara’s, he could already tell that he wasn’t in the mood to go out tonight. He hoped Liara wouldn’t be too hurt if he declined their normal celebrations. Trying to come up with the best way to beg off, he made his way to the kitchen and found her already up, eating her breakfast and scrolling through something on a datapad.

She glanced up and smiled as he made his way to the fridge, waiting for him to join her at the table before speaking. As he settled in, she put down her datapad and leaned forward, elbows on the table and chin in her hands. “Let’s stay in tonight, James. Vids and pajamas and pizza and popcorn. What do you say?”

“Throw in some beer, and you’ve got yourself a deal,” he grunted. She smiled and nodded in agreement, and James smiled back. It occurred to him that his busy week had been hers too. Yeah, they could definitely both do with a nice night in.

“So,” Liara asked, attention already drifting back to her datapad, “what do you think we should watch?”

“Well, I hear there’s a new Blasto out…”

~~~~~~

Blasto had been overruled without much argument from James. Truth be told, he hadn’t really pushed too hard for it. The suggestion had been a joke. He knew Liara didn’t really go in for that type of story. It wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy action vids, she just couldn’t wrap her head around how exaggerated and overblown everything seemed in the Blasto franchise.

But she was in agreement with James that they needed something light, something  _fun_ , for their night off. In the end, they decided to binge the Tridend Victus series. Apparently, they were based on some really old Earth movies about an archaeologist named Indiana Jones. A turian company had found them and decided to do a remake with more galactic appeal. The lead character was, of course, turian, with salarian and asari companions.

James was almost as amused by Liara’s scathing indictment of the archaeological “facts” presented as he was with the on screen shenanigans. Almost. Still, he could tell she was enjoying herself, and so was he. They had prepared well for their marathon, donning comfy sweats and opening up the couch’s pull-out bed. They stockpiled food and drinks within easy reach and curled up under a veritable mountain of blankets. If they weren’t both such night owls, they probably would have fallen asleep long before their vids were done.

They’d gotten an early start, and when they finished up with Tridend Victus, their curiosity got the better of them and Liara hunted down the original movies while James made up a new batch of popcorn, replenished his beer, and brewed a pot of tea for Liara. He could definitely see the appeal of the original movies, and why the turian company had wanted to remake them. Though despite knowing how old they were, a part of him still winced about the antiquated picture of humanity they offered. Liara didn’t seem to mind though. She just tutted and hummed to herself when she wasn’t laughing, and he thought he heard her murmur something about studying up on that period of human history when she had the chance. He laughed at that. Always eager to learn something new about the past, that was Liara.

When finally the last credits rolled and the screen was turned off, they lay on the couch bed, curled up together under the blankets, reveling in the simplicity of a night off with no responsibilities. James felt a little drowsy, and he knew it was late, but he wasn’t quite ready to hit the sack yet.

Seemed like Liara wasn’t, either. “This was a good day,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder. He slid an arm around her waist and she snuggled next to him. “It’s been far too long since we’ve done something like this.”

James grunted in reply. She was not wrong. Aside from at the club, they hadn’t seen much of each other in the past month or so. And they couldn’t really  _talk_ while they were working. Liara sighed and settled in against him, and he blinked slowly, fighting sleep. “You been doing okay, Doc? Feels like Gaeral’s been working you extra hard lately.”

Valann Gaeral was the salarian who owned the club. He had been calling on Liara for extra shifts, having her handle deliveries and payroll, and pinging her to work private parties more than any of the other bartenders. In his experience, that kind of attention usually meant that the employee in question had gotten on the owner’s bad side somehow, or they wanted to get into said employee’s pants. He frowned, thinking it over. Neither one of those really seemed Gaeral’s style though. Usually when he was driving everybody too hard, it was because he had a tendency to forget that other species actually needed sleep to function. It was weird that he was singling Liara out, but James really couldn’t imagine their quirky little boss trying to put the moves on her.

“Hans is retiring next month,” Liara answered in a sleepy voice. “Valann is trying to convince me to take the position.” James sat up straighter and turned to look at her in surprise. Hans Erichsen was the club manager. Liara frowned and her eyebrows drew together in consternation. “Um,” she said, blinking, “I wasn’t supposed to tell you that. They are trying to keep it secret for now.”

“Keep what secret?” James said, keeping his voice light. “I missed what you said. Must have dozed off for a minute there.” He got an amused chuckle in reply and he relaxed a little, thinking about what she’d said. “So…” he drawled after a few minutes. “Are you going to take it?”

“Not sure,” she mumbled. “This job was supposed to be a fun little diversion while I figured out what to do next, after--” She faltered, and then sighed. She never talked about what she had done before turning up at the bar, and James never pried. He felt her shrug against him. “I was curious. My mother always told me such terrible stories about clubs like ours. I thought it would be fun, a rebellious social experiment.” She uttered a musical laugh. “I never expected to enjoy it so much. Turns out I’ve a bit of a head for it. So, I don’t know. Maybe I’ll take the job. It would give me more stable hours, at least.”

“You’d be good at it,” James said, thinking out loud.

“Hmm. We’ll see.” She shifted, sitting up and pulling away, and in the dim light he could see her tilt her head, fixing her eyes on him. “So, how are  _you_ doing James? I haven’t seen that young man Steve introduced you to around much lately.”

_Ken_ . James winced and looked away, looking back when he felt a light hand on his shoulder. “We broke it off a while ago,” he admitted.

“That’s a shame, I liked him. You two seemed good together.”

“Yeah, I liked him too.” His shoulders sagged. “But he couldn’t really deal when he found out how I earn my paycheck.”

“Oh, dear.” Her brow furrowed. “He didn’t strike me as that reserved.”

“It wasn’t the taking my clothes off part that bugged him,” James said, running a hand through his hair.

“No?”

“Nah. He said what really worried him was the flirting. That even if I was putting on an act to flirt with the customers, he wasn’t comfortable with me doing it.”

“But, you flirt. With  _everyone_ . On or off the job. That’s part of who you are.” Liara looked baffled.

“Which is why I broke it off.”

“Oh. I see.”

“Yeah.” James shrugged again. It wasn’t the first time a potential relationship had gone south when the other person had found out about his job. Although this was definitely a new twist. “I shouldn’t have let Esteban set me up the first place. My line of work, you think I’d know better.”

“Don’t talk like that, James!” Liara shot him a shrewd look. “Are you ashamed of your job?”

“What? No!”

“Good. From everything I’ve observed in my little ‘social experiment’ so far, it seems to me the people who aren’t ashamed have a much higher chance of finding happiness than those who are.” She patted him on the cheek, offering a warm smile. “You’re not a lost cause yet.” She pinched his chin, winking when he cried out in surprise. “So don’t let me find you acting like you are, okay?”

“Yes, ma’am!” James barked out, shooting her a mock salute.

She laughed and hit him with a pillow. James growled and retaliated. The pillow fight lasted until they both dissolved in fits of laughter, leaning against each other on the couch. Liara surprised him by wrapping him up in a tight hug before pushing him away and climbing off the couch. “Now come on, help me clean up. You know I hate waking up to a mess, and we really should be getting to bed soon.”

James glanced at the clock on his omni-tool and groaned. It was closer to the start of the new business day than the finish of the last. Much closer. He climbed off the couch bed and flipped on the light, picking up dishes and bottles while Liara folded the blankets. “Guess it’s back to reality in a few hours,” he lamented.

“Well, that’s all right,” Liara replied with a grin. “Reality’s not that bad.”

“Nah,” he agreed. “I guess it’s not.”

 


	4. Happy Birthday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Carver and Bethany Hawke appearing courtesy of Dragon Age II. I didn't list DA in the fandoms for the story since it's not really a crossover, exactly. I just have a not-so-secret love for James/Carver and I couldn't resist letting that come into play for this story.

Carver scrubbed a hand through his hair, shooting a sidelong glance at Bethany as she leaned forward to get a better look at the dancer on the stage. Her eyes were round and bright, mouth just slightly open as she watched. _Huh_ , Carver mused, flicking his eyes back to the stage, _wouldn’t have pegged Beth as being into turians._

Not that the turian in question wasn’t an impressive representation of his species.

Still.  _This is weird._ He sighed and slumped back into his chair. Going to a strip club with his twin sister hadn’t been at the  _top_ of the list of ways he wanted to spend his twenty-first birthday. But when he’d mentioned that his plans with the guys had fallen through at the last minute, and she’d asked where they had planned on going, he couldn’t exactly lie to her, could he? Not to Beth. They might not tell each other everything, but they didn’t lie. Privately, he could admit his amusement at her excitement to go with him instead. It wasn’t like he thought she was some innocent flower, but he wouldn’t have expected a strip club to be up her alley.

But he’d been looking forward to tonight for ages, and he  _was_ glad he’d still been able to go to the club. Even if it made him a bit uncomfortable to speculate on just how much his sister was enjoying herself. Ogling guys with Bethany wasn’t anything new. Ogling real live naked people together was.

_At least Marian didn’t find out and decide to tag along._ Now that,  _that_ , would have been terrifying.

The turian was good, but Carver found his attention wandering. He let his eyes roam around the club, taking in the clientele and the other dancers working the crowd wearing only skimpy black underthings. He spared an idle thought to wonder just how many credits changed hands here on a normal night. Whoever had designed the club must have wanted the customers to feel as comfortable as possible, to make it easy for them to forget about everyone else but the dancers.

Lots of small tables tucked into tall round booths, the seats rising in tiers around the stage so everyone still had a good view. Only the dimmest of lights over the floor, with additional low lighting around the edges of the tables. It allowed the people seated together to see each other, but kept each table mostly in shadows to the rest of the club. Brighter over by the bar, though, he noticed with an approving nod, and strips of light on the floor showing clear walkways around the tables to make it easier for people to move around when they needed to. He was sure the servers appreciated it.

His eyes fell on the bartender and he smiled to himself. She was cute. An asari with an elegant face and a warm smile. He was wondering if the smile would falter if he actually tried to talk to her when Bethany elbowed him in the side. He turned a scowl on her but it didn’t last long against the smile she shot him. “They just announced the next dancer! Jimmy Vega. I’ve heard he’s the best.”

“You’ve  _heard_ ?” Carver’s eyebrows shot up. “From who?” What kind of friends was she making here on the Citadel that they gossiped about strippers?

He was about to question her further when she waved a hand to hush him, leaning forward and biting her lip. He rolled his eyes and turned to look at the stage, breath catching in his throat as the stripper in question strolled out from behind the curtain. He moved with a fluid grace, the latin beat coming from the club’s hidden speakers seeming to flow from him, rather than just being background music.

Then he started taking off his clothes.

_Oh_ , Carver thought as he breathed out. He leaned forward, eyes wide, unconsciously mimicking his twin’s pose of moments before. The club’s atmosphere did its work as Vega moved, everything else fading away from Carver’s awareness. All he could see, think, feel,  _know_ was the man on the stage. Muscles everywhere, black ink laying out enticing paths along brown skin that his fingers itched to trace. He wondered what that skin would taste like.

The dance seemed to last so much longer than one song, and yet when it was over, Carver also couldn’t help but feel that only mere seconds had passed. He took a few deep breaths and turned to face Bethany, gratified to see that she looked as shell-shocked as he felt.

“Wow,” she whispered.

“Yeah,” he agreed. He gave himself a small shake and picked up his bottle, clinking it against Bethany’s when she reached for her own. “Happy birthday to us,” he said with a grin.

“Yes,” she agreed, still a little breathless, “happy birthday to us.”

They both took long pulls from their bottles and then stared at each other for a few heartbeats before bursting into laughter. Maybe this hadn’t been such a bad idea after all.

~~~~~~

They were far enough from the stage that Vega didn’t manage to make it to their table before he had to disappear into the back again. Presumably to get ready for his next dance. By silent agreement, they stayed until after Vega’s next dance, then paid their tab and headed home. Carver wondered if he should be disappointed that he didn’t get to talk to the other man, but he thought maybe it was for the best. He was awkward chatting up guys at the best of times. What the hell was he supposed to say to some beautiful demigod he’d just watched get naked multiple times? He didn’t think he was ready to figure out that particular conversation just yet.

He and Bethany shared a skycab, dropping her off at her apartment first. She gave him a tight hug before sliding out of the cab. “I wish you weren’t heading back to Earth tomorrow,” she told him, “but I’m glad we got to spend the day together. All day.” She shot him an amused smirk. “We’ll have to go back to the club the next time you visit.”

She kissed him on the cheek and was gone before he had a chance to reply. Carver just shook his head and programmed his hotel as the cab’s next destination. He slouched back against the seat as the vehicle kicked into motion and let out a low chuckle. The night sure hadn’t gone like he’d expected, but it really hadn’t been bad at all. He was, he decided, glad his friends backed out of taking him to the club. Weird or not, it had been nice getting to celebrate their birthday doing something just the two of them. He glanced at the clock on the skycab’s dash display and grunted in surprise. He’d managed to have a good time  _and_ be back in at a reasonable hour. How unexpectedly responsible of him.

_That’s Beth though_ , he laughed to himself. Even when they’d risked sneaking out as kids, she’d always made sure not to stay out  _too_ late. What had she told him once? “You get away with so much more when no one suspects you’re up to anything.” Thinking back over their teens, he had to admit, she was probably right on that score.

Back at the hotel he sighed and looked around his room. His ship out the next morning was leaving at ass o’clock. Suddenly the early end to the evening was less amusing and more a relief. He hummed to himself as he moved around, picking up stray pieces of clothing and his other belongings. His duffle was half full before he realized he was humming one of the songs that Vega had danced to, and he had to laugh at himself. Bethany’s mysterious and questionable friends were right. Vega was definitely the best stripper Carver had ever seen. The packing seemed to fly by as he let himself get lost in thoughts of swirling black ink and the rhythm of a steady Latin beat.

When everything but the next day’s outfit was all packed up, Carver set alarms on both his omni-tool and the fancy clock next to the bed. Then he stripped off his dirty clothes and shoved them into the duffle, thinking it would be best to shower now so he could sleep a little longer. He turned on the water, cranking it up as hot as he could stand it, and leaned against the back wall of the shower, letting the spray wash over him as images of Vega sprang to mind once more.

Already half hard from his daydreams while packing, it didn’t take much to get him to fully erect. Carver let out a low groan as he slid a hand down his slick belly and wrapped it around his cock. He bit his lip, brow furrowing as he closed his eyes, picturing Vega in the shower with him. A cocky grin spread across the stripper’s face and Carver felt his own lips quirk up in return as details began to fill in.

The tattoos were easy enough to recall, though the eyes were trickier. Carver hadn’t been close enough to really see what color they were. Brown, he thought, or maybe hazel. He imagined running his hands over the thickly muscled chest--only just broader than his own--not needing to tilt his head much to meet those eyes--hazel, he decided at last, but on the browner side of the range--which sparked with confidence and amusement and want.

He stroked himself as he played the scene out in his mind. Hands running across Vega’s chest, fingers trailing along tattoos. Vega’s own hands settling on his waist, Carver leaning in to lick at the lines inked into brown skin. Vega would grunt in response, hands tightening on Carver’s waist, just shy of painful. Carver’s own hand tightened on his cock, and he cried out, speeding up his strokes. Vega grunted and leaned forward, capturing Carver’s lips in a bruising kiss, pushing him back into the shower wall, their bodies meeting from shoulder to knees. Carver’s hips bucked at the imagined sensation. God, what he wouldn’t give to actually be pressed up against Vega right now. Against anyone, really.

Vega pulled back from the kiss, mouth moving along Carver’s jaw, leaving a series of sharp nips in his wake. He reached Carver’s ear and bit down on the lobe, sending a thrill through Carver’s entire body. Carver cried out in the fantasy and in real life, bucking into his hand and coming hard. He let out a contented sigh and dropped his head back against the wall with a soft thump. Vega leaned in and kissed him again, this one sweet and slow, before pulling back and fading into nothing.

Carver opened his eyes and laughed quietly as he let the fantasy slip away. He pushed away from the wall and reached for the soap, humming the happy birthday song to himself as he cleaned up.  _It_ was _a happy birthday, wasn’t it_ , he thought to himself as he washed, glad that there was no one else around to see the goofy, satisfied grin on his face.


	5. Not Boring

“Hey, I know you! Yo, Muscles!”

It took a few seconds for James to realize this was directed at him. The voice didn’t sound familiar--sounded, in fact, a bit hostile--and he had to resist the urge to hunch his shoulders as he turned around. He blinked at the woman striding up to him with predatory grace and sucked in a deep breath as recognition sank in. He leaned against the wall of the shop he’d been about to enter, keeping his voice pleasant to hide the wariness he felt. “You were at the club the other night, right?”

“Hell yeah, I was.” She stopped in front of him and crossed her arms, looking him up and down with an appreciative grin. “Had a real good time, too.” Her grin widened.

James felt more exposed than he ever did on stage. The kind of looks she was giving him were one thing in the club, and he could handle them with ease. But out here on the street? Off the clock and just going about his business? He was unprepared, to say the least. This was a whole level above getting checked out in passing or the casual flirting he might exchange with a stranger. He couldn’t help but wonder what she wanted. Every line in her body screamed that she was ready for a confrontation, expecting some sort of challenge. From him? What the hell for?

_She does have a pretty nice body though, you’ve gotta admit._ He pushed that unhelpful thought down as soon as it surfaced. Or tried to. Her eyes were still roaming over him, and deciding fair was fair, he took a long look of his own. There was plenty to see. Her dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail, showing off the shaved sides of her head, giving him a clear view of her ear cuffs and the tattoos on her scalp. Almost every bit of exposed skin--of which where was quite a bit--seemed to be covered with ink. James was impressed in spite of himself, and half-tempted to ask for the name of her artist.

She remained silent, one eyebrow arched and eyes sparkling with amusement as she watched him. James cocked his head and crossed his own arms. Clearing his throat, he said, “Well, I’m glad you enjoyed your visit to the club. Hopefully we’ll see you again soon.”

“Seems likely,” she quipped. She stepped closer, stopping just a hair’s breadth away. James’ breath caught in his throat. Her expression changed into something speculative, and he expected her to reach out, touch him. But she maintained what space was left between them, kept her hands to herself.

“There, uh, something else I can help you with?” James tried to lean away without her noticing, but he was too close to the wall. It was a relief when she didn’t move any closer, though her answer still sent a cold rush running through him.

“I can think of a few things, actually, though as tight-assed as everyone in C-Sec is, probably not anything we can do right here.” She must have noticed a shift in his expression, because she took a step back, holding her hands out in the air at her sides. “Hey, not if you’re not interested though.”

“Look,” James struggled to push down his anger, tried to keep his voice light, “I think you’ve got the wrong idea. It’s not that kind of club, and I don’t do that kind of work. If that’s what you’re looking for, I can point you toward the right neighborhood, but--”

“Shit, no!” She threw her hands in the air and took another step back, shaking her head. She rolled her eyes and then fixed her gaze on him, lips turned down in a scowl. “I’m not looking to pay anyone to fuck me, calm down lover boy.” She rolled her eyes again and muttered something under her breath.

James’ eyebrows drew together. “Then what--?”

“Look, I was just taking a walk because I’m fucking  _bored_ . I saw you across the street and I don’t know, I thought it was a chance to be  _not_ bored.” She shrugged. “Fuck, I mean, haven’t you ever tried to pick someone up in a bar or something?”

James opened his mouth to deny it but then snapped it shut. It would be a lie. Still, “This isn’t exactly a bar,” he said, gesturing around them.

“Like I said, I saw you walk by and thought why the hell not. Besides, I figured if you recognized me, it would cut down on all of that smalltalk bullshit. I hate smalltalk.”

“So your plan was to just go up to a stranger and say, ‘hey, wanna fuck?’” James didn’t bother keeping the skepticism out of his voice.

She barked a short laugh and smirked. “Why not?”

“You don’t know anything about me!” James protested.

“I know I like what you look like naked,” she said, eyebrow arching up. “That’s all I really want to know.” She shrugged again. “Take it or leave it, your call. There is a bar around the corner, I guess I can always try there.”

She turned on her heel and strode off without looking back. James stared after her, jaw hanging open. She couldn't be serious. She just couldn’t. Except, he was pretty sure she was. And she was getting farther away the longer he stood there trying to make sense of her offer.  _This is a bad idea. It’s inappropriate and stupid and--_ another part of him interrupted,  _it’s also been a long fucking time, dude. And she’s_ hot _, and you don’t have to worry about her dumping you when she finds out what you do for a living._ He bit his lip. There was that.

He took a deep breath, and then another. Then he pushed off against the wall and started after her. “Wait!”

She paused and turned to look at him over her shoulder, knowing grin plastered across her face. “Hurry up then, I haven’t got all day.” She waited for him to reach her side and then started walking again. “Come on, I’ve got a place nearby.”

She led him into a hotel and headed straight for the elevator. James followed without a word, desire building in him as he acknowledged that this was actually about to happen. He let his eyes linger on her tattoos again, tracing the lines, noting that many of them did not seem to stop at her clothing. He was, he realized, looking forward to peeling her out of them and seeing what they hid.

She caught him looking and licked her lips. “Like what you see?”

“Fuck yeah,” he breathed.

The elevator slid to a stop and the doors opened. She grabbed hold of his belt and pulled him out of the car, leading him down a short hallway and through a door he couldn’t even remember her opening. Everything became a blur as they reached for each other, fingers working as fast as they were able to remove all of their clothing.

James leaned forward to kiss her, and she pushed her tongue into his mouth. Then she pulled back and bit his lower lip. He grunted and reached for her shoulders, pulling her back in, kissing her again. She laughed against his lips and then kissed back.

He didn’t realize he was already naked until warm hands found his cock. He groaned as she stroked him, grip firm and steady. “On the bed,” she demanded with a whisper in his ear, nipping at the lobe before ducking back down for another kiss. James complied without hesitation and the next thing he knew she was sliding down on top of him. He cried out, hips thrusting up and in, bringing a cry from her as well. She sounded  _triumphant_ and it spurred him on.

He settled his hands on her waist, trying not to grip too hard, but not bothering to actually be gentle. She rolled her hips and he gasped, realizing how close he was. He let his hands slide up, cupping her breasts. He reared up to catch one in his mouth, tonguing at her nipple, and she growled, grinding down on him even more. She let out a strangled curse and her body clenched and fluttered around him. “Oh fuck yes. Knew you wouldn’t be boring,” she breathed. She did something new, a funny little twist of her hips, and James was coming.

“I aim to please,” he panted as he fell back against the bed.

“Mmm,” she said as she climbed off him. “Mission fucking accomplished.”

He laughed in spite of himself and tried to tug her down into her arms. He couldn’t quite seem to get a hold on her though, and as he watched, she started to fade away. He frowned, trying to sit up, and found he couldn’t. In fact, he could hardly move at all...

~~~~~~

 “...and then I woke up, all tangled up in my sheets like I’d been thrashing around or something.”

 Liara shook her head. “Oh dear.” She shot him a sympathetic look. “It can’t be the first time you’ve dreamed about one of the customers though, surely.”

“Well, no, but it’s never been quite like that.” He scrubbed a hand through his hair, staring blearily at the cup of coffee Liara had placed on the table in front of him. “Usually it’s just us having a good time and everyone gets off and that’s it.”

He avoided Liara’s eyes. He wouldn’t have normally told her about such a dream, but she’d seen something was bothering him when he emerged from his room and insisted he tell her what was wrong. The fact that he was so unsettled by the dream was telling in and of itself. He rarely remembered his dreams, certainly not in detail. Even when he did, any residual feelings they left behind usually faded not long after waking. He’d been unable to get back to sleep afterwards, though not for lack of trying, and when he heard Liara up and moving around, he decided he might as well cut his losses and get up.

“Hmm,” she murmured, a thoughtful look crossing her face.

James narrowed his eyes. “What?”

“An encounter with someone who doesn’t judge you for what you do, reaching out for her when it’s over, the panic when she couldn’t be held.” She shrugged and offered an apologetic smile. “Sounds to me like your mind is just trying to process your loneliness.”

“Right,” James snorted. “Or I could just be horny.” He rolled his eyes, “or my subconscious is telling me to get a new tattoo. I mean, she had really nice ink. It’s why I noticed her in the first place.” Well. One of the reasons. “It was just a dream.”

Liara gave him a knowing look. “Perhaps. It was just a suggestion.”

“Yeah, well. I think I’m doing all right, okay.”

“Of course you are,” she shot him a bright smile and reached across the table to squeeze his shoulder. “As you say, it was just a dream.”

She got up from the table and rinsed out her cup. James picked his own up and took a long sip, unaware of the frown that had settled across his face. Maybe he was a little lonely, but if so, he had been that way for a long time. No reason for his mind to suddenly start making him lose sleep about it. He sighed and took another sip, trying to focus on the nice parts of the dream. After all, if he was gonna remember this one, he might as well remember the good stuff, right?


	6. Out of Context

James thanked the barista for his coffee and tapped his credit chit against the electronic “jar” on the counter to leave a tip. Glancing around the crowded cafe, he decided to take his coffee to the patio. He took a deep breath as he stepped outside, enjoying the scent of the nearby ocean. He tried to remember the last time he’d been on Earth and failed, shaking his head and smiling to himself. Too long, then. But that was to be expected, given this was his first actual vacation in years. When Liara accepted the management position, she somehow convinced Gaeral to let her close the club down for a month for renovations. She even managed to come up with the funds to pay the employees in the duration to ensure they wouldn’t leave or be burdened by the lack of work. James had no idea how she’d pulled it off, but he wasn’t complaining. Tío Emilio had been bugging him to come visit for a while now, and this was the perfect opportunity. It was strange being back in the old neighborhood, but kind of nice all the same.

He moved across the gated patio, only marginally less crowded than the rest of the cafe, and snagged a free stool at the bar-style table that ran along the building’s exterior wall. James settled on the stool and leaned back against the bar, closing his eyes as he savored his coffee. He was gonna have to find room in his duffle for a few bags of grinds when he went back to the Citadel. The stuff he could get on the station just wasn’t the same as what could be found here on Earth, at least not the stuff he could afford. A smile flickered across his face as he contemplated the rest of the things he wanted to take back with him. He might have to cave in and buy another duffle. The list was getting long.

“Is this seat taken?”

James opened his eyes to a man gesturing at the stool next to his own.  _Well, hello there_ , he thought, an easy grin spreading across his face as he noticed just how attractive the newcomer was. “Nah, man, go for it,” he said. The man nodded, then sat on the stool and leaned against the bar, elbows propped on it as he cradled his own cup of coffee in his hands.

Without thinking about it, James sat up a little straighter, shooting sidelong glances at the man. A few years older than James, he had a little bit of grey going on at the temples. It was a nice contrast to the dark hair brushed back from his face, every strand neatly in place, just the barest hint of a wave to it. He had a bit of stubble, as if he hadn’t bothered to shave in a few days. James couldn’t help but think it suited him.

The man had gotten lost in his thoughts while he drank his coffee, but he must have sensed James’ scrutiny. Warm brown eyes slid his way, then hastily back toward the wall. James thought he detected the barest hint of a blush on the man’s cheekbones and his smile widened. He was glad when he didn’t recoil or scoot his stool away. Something about him called to James, made him feel bold. Where he’d normally just turn his attention to his own coffee and keep to himself until he’d finished, he felt inspired to chat. He turned on his stool, facing the man, and asked, “You here on vacation?”

“Um, yeah, actually.” The man blinked and set down his cup, turning to face James as well, one elbow still on the bar. His brow crinkled a little and the edges of his mouth quirked up. “One of my cousins has been setting up a farm inland and invited us all out to help with the first harvest in a couple of days.” He shrugged. “First time in California, though, so I thought I might as well see the beach while I’m here.” He let a bit of smile break through.

James nodded to himself, smiling back. “Yeah, didn’t seem like you’re from around here.” He gestured to the man’s worn but neat sweater and equally worn jeans. Nothing that would stick out wherever the guy was from, James was sure, but everyone else around them was dressed in far more casual attire, many of them obviously headed to the beach the man had mentioned. “I hope you’re enjoying your visit,” he said. “It’s a good neighborhood, we’ve got a nice stretch of beach here too. You should definitely check it out before you head inland.”

“I’ll be sure to do that.” He smiled and cleared his throat. “So, uh, are you from around here then?”

James had to bite back a laugh. The man’s tone was casual, but too much so, as if he was trying not to show how interested he was in the answer. “Yes and no. I grew up here, but I haven’t lived here in a while. I’m visiting family, too.” The man nodded and smiled at that, appearing to consider the answer. James wondered what he was thinking. There was something about him…. “So, is there anything in particular you were wanting to see while you’re in town? I could give you some tips.” He tilted his head and then laughed at himself, realizing he’d forgotten something. “I’m James, by the way.” He stuck out his hand.

“James, huh?” The man’s eyebrows rose and a look of surprise flashed across his face, not at the introduction, but as if he had been expecting something different. Then he smiled and took the offered hand, shaking it. “Kaidan. Pleasure to meet you. And thank you for the offer.” He let go of James’ hand and looked thoughtful for a moment. “I didn’t have any specific destinations in mind, but if there’s something you think I should see, I’d be grateful for some pointers.”

Since Kaidan didn’t look like the usual tourist, James avoided recommending any of the typical places tourists tended to congregate. Instead he listed some of his favorite parks, and beaches that were more for walking and sightseeing than swimming or surfing. He threw in a couple of landmarks he’d always enjoyed, and also the notable museums in the area. Those actually came from Liara, who had rattled off a list of them for him to check out while he was back home. He hadn’t really spent much time in the museums when he was a kid. The planetarium, though, that suggestion was all him. He’d loved that place growing up, and from the way Kaidan received his other suggestions, he thought Kaidan might dig it as well.

Once things to do and see had been exhausted, talk turned to places to eat. Here Kaidan really got into the conversation, asking for recommendations of specific types of restaurants.

“You know one thing I can’t seem to find anywhere but Earth is a good steak.” He cocked an eyebrow, expression turning hopeful. “Know any good places for that around here?”

“Hmm.” James leaned back against the stool, thinking it over. “Well, there’s a couple of chain places that are decent, but if you ask me, which you did,” he winked and was warmed by the smile he got in return, “I’d say give Russell’s a try. It’s a local place, been run by the same family for something like a hundred years. Best steak I’ve ever had.”

“Yeah?” Kaidan nodded. “Sounds like it’s worth checking out then.”

James started to give him directions but then paused as it dawned on him how hungry he was. A quick glance at the bank clock across the street showed him it was just past noon. Trying for casual, he said, “If, uh, if you’re interested, I could show you over there now. We could grab lunch.”

Kaidan sat back, looking almost stunned. James was taken aback by the reaction. They’d been having a good conversation, he thought. Surely Kaidan had noticed his interest. He hadn’t exactly been trying to hide it. After a minute Kaidan sighed and dropped his eyes, letting out a soft laugh as he rubbed a hand across the back of the neck. “You really don’t recognize me, do you?”

Now it was James’ turn to be stunned. Why should he recognize Kaidan? Sure, there was  _something_ about the guy, a nagging familiarity, but he was sure they’d never met before.  _I would have remembered_ , he thought as he tried to place the other man.  _No way I’d have forgotten those eyes._ Kaidan sighed and leaned against the bar again, a shadow falling over his face. That was when it clicked.

“Shit. You’re one of our regulars.”

Kaidan’s eyebrows lifted and he shot James a bemused look. “Huh. I guess I am, at that.” He shrugged. “Work keeps me pretty busy. The club’s a nice place to go to, uh, unwind sometimes.”

He glanced away and James tried to process this new information. They  _hadn’t_ met, he’d been right about that. Kaidan came in a couple of nights at the end of each month, and he usually sat at one of the tables a bit back from the stage. In fact, Palnus had teased him more than once about his “shadow fan,” because as far as they could tell, Kaidan only ever came in to catch James’ sets. But by the time James made his way to the part of the floor where Kaidan sat, he was always gone. But there was always a nice tip for James added to his tab at the end of the night.

Kaidan was still looking anywhere but at James, and James had to fight the urge to reach out for him in reassurance. “Hey, you okay there, Kaidan?”

“Just embarrassed, maybe.” Kaidan cleared his throat. “I didn’t realize you were you when I came over to ask for the seat. I mean, yeah, I thought, ‘oh hey, he kind of looks like that guy,’ but that was it. Then when I saw your tattoos,” he gestured at James’ neck. “They’re uh, very distinctive.”

He was blushing now, bright red, and James had to bite back a smile. He wasn’t really sure how he should be feeling at the moment. Embarrassed? Amused? He’d just asked out one of his customers by accident.  _His_ customer, not anyone else’s. He thought he should maybe feel weird about it, at least, but he didn’t. Not really. Mostly he was feeling hopeful, because he still really wanted to get that steak with Kaidan. He just had to convince Kaidan that it was a good idea, despite the awkward circumstances. He bit his lip and said the first thing that came to mind. “Small galaxy, huh?”

Kaidan surprised him by laughing, a long, honest laugh that put James at ease again. He shook his head and finally met James’ eyes. “Yeah, I suppose it is.” He shook his head again and then glanced up. “You really didn’t recognize me?”

“Afraid not.” James shrugged. “Club’s designed so that customers can see us, not really so we can see them. At least until we’re on the floor. You always pull a disappearing act before I can get to your table.”

“Ah.” Kaidan nodded, looking thoughtful at that. “It just seemed easier that way.” He shot James an apologetic smile. “I have to admit, I kind of thought maybe that’s why you were talking to me now. I thought you’d placed me when I sat down, the way you were looking at me.”

James snorted. “Nah, I was just checking you out.” Kaidan’s eyebrows shot up and James winced. He cleared his throat. “I was talking to you because, well, because I wanted to talk to you.”

“Oh,” Kaidan said, voice very quiet. A small smile spread across his lips. “And lunch? You really just...wanted to go get lunch with me?”

“Yeah. I mean, if you don’t want to, I get it,” he started, wanting to give Kaidan an easy way out. Kaidan stopped him with a hand on his arm. James felt a rush of heat flow through his body from the point of contact, and he suspected that he was the one blushing now.

“I do,” he said, eyes locking onto James. His confidence wavered a bit. “If that’s--I mean, is this okay? Is it allowed?”

“I’m pretty sure I’m allowed to ask out a guy I meet on vacation,” James quipped. Kaidan laughed but he kept an expectant eye on James. James shrugged. “We’re discouraged from getting involved with customers, sure. But there’s no actual policy forbidding it, and we’re expected to use common sense.”

“So what’s your common sense telling you?”

“That I like you,” he said without hesitation. Kaidan blushed again, and he added, “That I’d like the chance to actually get to know you, if you might be interested in that too.”

“I think I am, yeah. Although,” a smirk played across his face. “Right now? I think I am mostly interested in getting that steak.”

“Well now you’re talking!” James hopped off the stool and clapped him on the back, then let his hand fall to his side. Kaidan caught it up in his own and gave it a light squeeze.

“Lead the way,” Kaidan said.

James pulled him across the patio and out through the gate. “This way,” he said, glad when Kaidan didn’t let go of his hand. “Maybe after lunch I can show you the beach.”

“I’d like that,” Kaidan said.

James grinned and sped up a little, eager to get to lunch, and to whatever might come after.


End file.
